Remarks in Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Nov 4, 1996

Just in the last couple of days, we've seen that our annual growth rate is about 3 percent, that business investment increased by almost 19 percent, the highest rate since the Kennedy administration. Incomes are rising nearly 5 percent, and in the face of that news and 10 1/2 million jobs, yesterday my opponent said that we had the worst economy in 20 years. Well, 2 weeks ago he said we had the worst economy in 100 years. We've made up 80 years in 2 weeks. That's a good record. We need to do more of that. Way back in February, my distinguished opponent said what he knows is the truth when he said we actually had the best economy in 30 years. We are moving in the right direction, and we need to do more.

As I stand here in this wonderful State, I know that one of the things most people in Arizona have felt over the years, consistently, is that we don't need a big, bureaucratic Government in Washington telling us what to do and that we do need fiscal responsibility. But I ask you to look at the record on this.

Our administration has lowered the size of the Federal Government by nearly 250,000; it is now as small as it was when John Kennedy was President. We have eliminated more Government regulations, more Government programs, we have privatized more Government operations in 3 1/2 years than my Republican predecessors did in 12 years. Our budget would be in surplus today if it weren't for the debt they ran up in the 12 years before I took office. We are moving in the right direction.

The issue here today is not big Government or small Government, it is, what do we have to do together, to give each other the tools to build strong lives, strong families, strong communities, and a strong nation? There are those who honestly believe that we shouldn't do much together, that you're better off, your fiber will be greater if you're just told "You're on your own." And then there are those of us who believe that it does take a village to raise a child, to build families, to make our streets safe. There are those who believe they can say, "There's that great, big future out there; there is a rushing river you have to cross; there's a big valley you have to get down through; there's a huge mountain you have to get across; I hope you make it. Good luck." And then there are those who say that future is out there is for all of us and it'll be better for all of us if we just go on and build a bridge big enough, wide enough, and strong enough for all of us to walk across together. Will you help us build that bridge to the 21st century? [Applause]

On this Halloween day, we can make a lot of jokes, and I was thrilled to see all the people along the roadway already in their Halloween costumes and their masks on. But one serious thing I'd like to say about Halloween - Hillary and I always loved the fact that our daughter loved Halloween, always wanted her own costume every Halloween, still like to go out trick-or-treating. But one of the things that I think is important on Halloween is we remember that we want Halloween to be "fright night," but "safe night" for our families and our children, and we ought to think about today what I think is the critical thing for American families, which is, how can we make our families safe, how can we give them a clean environment, and how can we make it possible for parents to succeed economically while they raise their children responsibly?